With residents in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) taking to the streets to vent their anger against the ruling establishment over the ‘rigged’ elections, Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Friday called upon the International Human Rights Commission to look into the matter. “Rampant Human Rights Violation in Balochistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir is not new. The International Human Rights Commission must look into it,” he added.
Even as the Pakistan Human Rights Group confirmed the allegations of corrupt practices, involving money and muscle power, Neelum Valley in PoK witnessed the people facing police wrath as they burnt Pakistani flag and raised slogans against the government in protest of rigged election. Besides spray painting the faces of various leaders on the election posters, the protesters also burnt tyres, blocked traffic and clashed with the police personnel.
Widespread protests have been witnessed in the major PoK towns, including Muzaffarabad, Kotli, Chinari and Mirpur, after members of the PML (N) killed a supporter of the Muslim Conference (MC) in Muzaffarabad. Residents allege that the elections in PoK are always fixed in favour of the ruling party in Pakistan, in current instance, for the PML-N.
The PML-N bagged 31 out of the 41 seats up for grabs, while the Muslim Conference and Pakistan People’s Party bagged three seats each. The political parties have questioned the authenticity of the elections. They say public money has been wasted as the so-called democratic process was fraught with corrupt practices.
ANI